Curtis is a cello prodigy from the bad part of town. All he wants to do is play the cello but, as the son of his father who is loving but involved in illegal activities, he has enemies through no fault of his own. When his life spirals out of control, Curtis must cope by looking to his comic book alter ego, The Dark Maestro.
This is my third novel by Brendan Slocumb and I was thrilled to get an early galley. It was so easy to sympathize with Curtis through his trials and tribulations. In spite of his disadvantages, he had just enough support to turn his incredible raw talent into success in the symphony world. But his plans were derailed by his father’s mistakes. I was so frustrated on Curtis’ behalf at one point that I had to walk away from the book for a day to cool off. But I was rooting for Curtis throughout his story
Told in first person via multiple perspectives, Slocumb did a great job creating this compelling story. My main complaint is that the secret activities undertaken by Curtis and his parents in the second half of the novel felt ridiculously unbelievable. However, despite this, I enjoyed this novel. I love the way Slocumb’s novels feature music and his abundant creativity.
Thank you to NetGalley, Brendan Slocumb, and Doubleday Books for giving me the opportunity to read The Dark Maestro before its release date of May 13, 2025.
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